"The pad can be shifted."

UH... it would be best to avoid planning on this ability.

Better to mark the centerline of the hood after it is pristine and mark the pad centerline and perhaps hold along the center with a stick... like a piece of molding.. to bring it up IN LINE with where you want it....

This is a two person job ... and three people would be even nicer...

Most upholstery and jobs like this start in the center and work out to eliminate bubbles or folds... and in this case it may be better to not have the hood straight up and down so that the sticky pad can not swing against the hood too early... gravity, stick of wood, bringing it up in the center and then pressing as you go towards the fenders may give more control.